Grave-vault structure



April 7, 1931- l. l.. FOSTER GRAVE VAULT STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 2G, 1928Patented Apr. 7, 1931 i,...

IRA L. FOSTER, or FoRTnoDGE, VIowA` GRAVE-VAULT sTRUcTtrnn Applicationmea November 26,1928. `Vserial No. 321,954. i

The object of my invention is to provide a grave vault structure ofsimple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a vault structure inwhich electrolysis will not occur. vault itself isfusually made of onemetal and the casket on the inside thereof is made of another and moreexpensive metal. Due to the dissimilarity of these metals, they produceelectrolysis of the casket itself, the vault structure or the bodywithin the casket, depending on what metals are used in theirconstruction and when the casket is placed in contact with the vaultstructure so that an electric circuit can be established between thetwo.

Electrolysis'is a decomposition of the vault structure, the casket orthe body within the casket caused by an electric current generatedwithin the vault 'structure due to the dissimilarity of the metals usedin the vault structure lconstruction and the casket construction whenthe twoare in contact with each other. i

It has therefo-re, been my object to provide a means of insulationbetween the vault structure and the casket so that the chance of anelectric circuit being established, is eliminated and consequentlyelectrolysis cannot occur. l Y

Still a further object is to provide in an air sealed type of vaultstructure, a vault bottom entirely arranged in a' single plane insteadof a portion thereof being upstruck for forming risers upon which thecasket may rest. The purpose of this construction is so that the vaultstructure may easily be rolled over the rollers in the iioor of a hearsewhich 40 are usually shorter than the width ofthe vault bottom.

Still a further object is to provide a novel means for latching thevault bell or cover to the vault bottom. Y

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects 0011-' templated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

In metal vaults, the

ing means applied thereto.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figurel 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view' through a vaultlstructure, `embodying casket therein in side elevation.

f Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view'on the linef2-2 of Figure 1. fy

Figure Sis a sectional -view of a port-ion of y.Figure 2, illustratingthe latch iny aridiifervslightly'as indicated at 12. Afvault bell orcover 14 coacts with the bottom 10 and is provided with anV inturned andupturned peripheral flange 16. g i a f Secured to the bottom'member 10,are a plurality of risers A consisting of side plates 18 havingfeet 2Oformed thereon.` The .feet

20 may be riveted or welded to the bottom 10.

The side members 18 of the risers Aare provided with flanges 22. -Ateachend of each riser A, gravity locks 24are provided;l The locks 24 arepivoted to the side flanges 18by means of rivets or the like 26.vvlIIachlock 24 is provided with a catch shoulder28 and a stop lug 30. j

Openings 32 are provided inthe side plates 18 to receive vCotter keys 34as'illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings for the purpose of Yrendering the'locks inoperative when ship' y ping thevault structure. 90

An insulating member 36 is provided on each riser A and may be securedtheretoin any suitable manner such as by rivets 38 o r the likeextending through a downwardly projecting rib 37 on the member.`Thermem- 95 bermay be held by clamps of frictionl also. The insulator36'In'a'y be of wood, glass, cork, rubber, fiber, bakelite or any othersuitable insulating material and is provided for resting the casket 40onand prevents itsy contact 100' my invention and illustrating a .'66

with the risers A or the bottom 10 of the vault structure.

It is the general practice to buy quite an y expensive casket such asone made of bronze, zinc, copper, Armco iron or Keystone steel. Thislist of course, does not include wooden caskets since electrolysis doesnot occur when they are used due to the fact that they are of insulatingmaterial themselves. One way of effectively preventing electrolysis, isto purchase the metal vault at bottom 10, bell 14:

and casket 40 all of similar metal, but this increases the expensegreatly. Therefore, cheaper vault structures are used for the purpose ofmaking a water seal vault and by using `any number of the risers Acapped with the insulating bars 36, a metal casket made of a metaldissimilar from that from which the vault structure is made, may beplaced Within the vault structure without the danger of electrolysisoccurring which of course, is a very deplorable result when using vaultstructures and caskets of dissimilar metals without insulation betweenthem.

Iny air seal vaults of the bell type, water rises about an inch or soabove the lower end of the bell. To prevent this water from com'- ing incontact with the casket, vault bottoms are'usually pressed upwardly forraising the bottom of the casket above the lower edge of the bell. In myconstruction the vault bot tom is made flat and the riser members 18serve the purpose of raising the casket while at the same time theyserve as a convenient way of supporting the bars 36 of insulation. Bythe use of gravity locks 24, the danger of springs rusting out as in thetypes of locks now in general use is eliminated.

Considerable changes in the construction of the risers and the locks 24as well as in the vault structure itself, m'ay be made without departingfrom the real spirit and purpose of my invention in which a means ofinsulation is provided between the casket and the vault structure.

It is therefore,my purpose to cover by my claim, such modiiica-tions inthe form ofthe structure and use of mechanical equivalents las may beconstrued as falling within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

In a metal'grave vault structure, Va vault bottom member, a vault covermember for coaction therewith and a riser member on said bottom member,said riser member being adapted for having a casket made of a metaldiierent from the grave vault structure supported thereon, said risermember being capped with an insulating material whereby to prevent theoccurrence of electrolysis ofa body Within said casket.

' IRA L. FOSTER.

